UHCL Report to Community features accomplishments, partnerships

March 31, 2016 | Kelsie Cleboski

University of Houston-Clear Lake President William A. Staples reflected on the year’s accomplishments and awarded the 2016 Community Partnership Award to the Pearland Chamber of Commerce at the annual Report to the Community on March 24 at Lakewood Yacht Club.

At the breakfast event, Staples noted key milestones over the past year.

Highlights included UHCL’s record enrollment of 8,906 students for the fall 2015 semester, which included the second incoming freshman class since the university’s transition from an upper-level university to a four-year university in fall 2014. Staples also recognized the inaugural graduating class of the RN to BSN Program for registered nurses at the UHCL Pearland Campus, the addition of a doctorate of psychology degree in the UHCL School of Human Sciences and Humanities and the university’s second consecutive recognition as a Military Friendly School by Victory Media.

For the first time ever, UHCL was also ranked in U.S. News and World Report’s Best Regional Universities in the West.

“Getting that listing at a very young age as a four-year institution is an incredible accomplishment,” Staples said.

Moving ahead, the university is committed to five key areas: student success; health; K-12 education; arts; and science, technology, engineering and mathematics or STEM. Developments on the horizon focus on meeting students’ needs with additions such as new student housing and an undergraduate mechanical engineering degree.

Staples said the university’s top priority has and will continue to be student success, which is supported by initiatives such as the new, need-based Hawk Advantage Scholarship.

“We have to have more scholarships to help economically disadvantaged students get a degree,” he said, adding that education is vital to helping communities thrive and grow.

With vocal support from the Pearland Chamber of Commerce and many others, several funding items passed by the 84th Texas Legislature in 2015 will benefit the university for years to come, Staples said. Highlights include special item funding for the university’s transition to a four-year institution as well as capital construction funds for a new STEM and Classroom Building at UHCL and a Health Sciences and Classroom Building at UHCL Pearland Campus.

Staples recalled that the Pearland Chamber of Commerce’s support for UHCL reaches back to when a university campus in Pearland was first proposed in 2004.

“The chamber advocated for that partnership. They also advocated for us in the last two legislative sessions,” Staples said, noting the important role community support has played in bolstering legislative support for the university. “When you have the business community speaking up for education, it makes a difference. The business community, as represented by the chamber, spoke up for us.”

To achieve the university’s goals requires strong community partnerships, as seen between UHCL, the Pearland Chamber of Commerce and City of Pearland leaders such as Mayor Tom Reid, who was also present at the event.

“What makes our community strong is the triangulation between education, the business community and our government colleagues,” Staples said.

President and CEO of the Pearland Chamber of Commerce Carol Artz-Bucek credited the chamber’s board of directors and Pearland City leaders in building the success of the organization.

“We have a wonderful partnership with our city,” she said, recognizing UHCL Pearland Campus as well. “It makes my job easier when we have great schools – it makes people want to live here.”

John Lyle VII, chair of the Pearland Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, also discussed how the UHCL Pearland Campus has enhanced the city.

“University of Houston-Clear Lake is the crown jewel in our community,” he said. “An institution such as UHCL can add value back to a community. We look forward to many more years of partnership.”

In closing, Staples said that even as he reflects on the university’s successes, he is looking ahead to the future.

“We’ve made a lot of progress, but there’s a lot more work to be done,” he said. “With education, business and government working together, we can make it happen.”

For more information about partnering with the university, visit http://www.uhcl.edu or call the Office of University Advancement, 281-283-2021.

To read the full President’s Report, including stories of how UHCL is moving ahead in student success, health, K-12 education, arts and STEM, visit http://www.uhcl.edu/president/presidents-report.